Electronic scale assembly having incorporated spreader arm
AssigneeSR Instruments, Inc.
InventorGerald J. Petrotto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic scale/spreader arm assembly for use with an apparatus includes an axial force transducer, such as a load cell, that is attachable to the apparatus. A spreader bar is configured to receive a support wherein the spreader bar and the load cell are interconnected such that the load cell is pivotally attached to the apparatus and the spreader arm is pivotally attached to the support while the spreader arm and the load cell are attached to one another such that non-axial loads imparted to the spreader arm will not be transmitted to the axial force transducer.
Claims13
A scale assembly including:
- an axial load transducer having a primary load axis extending through the center of said transducer, said axial force transducer being pivotally attached to a support member;
- and
- a load supporting member including means on opposing sides thereof for supporting a load wherein said load supporting member is pivotally attached to said axial force transducer along at least one pivot axis that is orthogonal to the primary load axis and extends substantially through the center of said axial force transducer wherein components of said supported load other than axial loads transmitted along said primary load axis are not transmitted to said axial force transducer.
A patient lift/transfer apparatus comprising:
- a lift mechanism for lifting a patient;
- a load supporting member attached to said lift mechanism;
- and
- an electronic scale assembly including an axial force transducer having a primary load axis extending through the center of said transducer, said axial force transducer being pivotally attached to said lift mechanism and means for pivotally attaching said load supporting member to said axial force transducer about at least one pivot axis permitting said load supporting member to freely pivot about said at least one pivot axis, while said axial force transducer is maintained in said axial orientation, said at least one pivot axis being orthogonal to said primary load axis and extending substantially through the center of said axial force transducer.
A method for isolating non-axial loads from an axial load transducer in an apparatus, said method including the steps of:
- mounting an axial force transducer to said apparatus, said force transducer having a primary load axis extending through the center of said transducer;
- attaching a load supporting member to said axial force transducer, said load supporting member being pivotably attached to said axial force transducer through at least one pivot axis extending substantially through the center of said transducer and in a plane orthogonal to the primary load axis;
- and
- supporting a load on said load supporting member wherein non-axial loads are not transmitted to said axial force transducer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.